One person, full of life—yet of unknown identity. The other, devoid of all vitality—but unmistakably clear in identity.
The contrast between the two in a single frame was almost ironic.
At the same time, I was puzzled. Why had Adele’s expression shifted for that split second?
Was it because her “exclusive” status as my assistant was broken?
Then... could she really be nothing more than a TA who just wanted to do well? What made her dangerous, exactly?
— That’s just you being dense, Professor.
The thought resurfaced. Adele had once said something like that to me—though I don’t recall when or where. She said I was dull when it came to reading people.
...Was that true?
Regardless, I wasn’t displeased by that brief flicker on her face. It felt like I’d finally seen her real face—one hidden even while drunk.
Ran’s presence might be the catalyst I need. For now, I’d keep observing.
“Ran, come with me for a moment.”
“Yes.”
I’d set Adele aside for now.
It was time to examine this new individual I’d be working with. I took Ran to my room on the second floor.
“Name?”
“Ran. No last name.”
“Age.”
“I’ve been set to 25 years old.”
“...Same age as Adele. I’d like to hear how you became my assistant. Were you sent by System⧉?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Not sure?”
“I had been asleep for a very long time. When I woke up, I felt I needed to come to Hiaka.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“......”
“My starting point was the outskirts of the Hattengrage Empire. When I arrived in Hiaka, the Director greeted me. That’s all I know.”
“When did you wake up?”
“Twenty days, five hours, and thirty-seven minutes ago.”
Roughly around the time I exited [Offline]. Confirmed. She was someone System⧉ sent.
“But why did it take twenty whole days? If you used the warp station, you’d have arrived in a day.”
“I didn’t have an identity. Neither the warp nor the train were accessible. The Director created my credentials afterward.”
Then how did she get here?
She must’ve really traveled manually.
Ran’s story was fascinating. I, too, had been sent by System⧉, appointed by the Director as a kind of parachute professor.
In other words, Ran likely accessed this world in the same way I had. Surely she wasn’t... another player?
“What’s the best dish at BBQ?”
“......”
Ran blinked her pitch-black eyes, then raised her index finger to her temple and closed her eyes.
“...Hold on.”
“You’re thinking?”
“Yes... thinking.” (Spoken informally.)
“That’s casual speech, you know.”
“Correct. ...Apologies. I did not understand your question. What is a ‘BBQ masterpiece’?”
It’s Hot Golden Olive Crispy... Never mind.
I asked about Elon Musk, pyramids, and more. She had no idea. Clearly not from the modern world.
“What about [Error Space]—do you know anything about it?”
“I’m not sure.”
“...Isn’t that your entire role?”
“Is it?”
“......”
She was... a strange one.
“Do you know how to drive?”
“Not currently, but one of my auxiliary devices may be compatible.”
“Auxiliary device?”
“Yes.”
So I took her to the mana car in the parking lot.
Ran pulled a small gear out of her pocket and placed it on her head. Then, smoothly, she began driving.
Fascinating.
This kind of character didn’t exist # Nоvеlight # pre-[DLC].
“Interesting. So you gain abilities by placing items on your head?”
“Correct.”
“What else can you put on there?”
“I can place an apple.”
“And what does that do?”
“It makes me better at handling apples.”
“...Other things?”
“If I put a bamboo propeller on, I can fly.”
“Show me.”
Ran pulled a bamboo propeller from her pocket, placed it on her head—
—and began floating in the air.
“Oh.”
Amusing.
She also claimed:
A pinwheel generates wind (cool breeze). A rubber duck grants swimming ability (she usually sinks). A steamed bun allows her to eat it (useless).In short: Ran is Doraemon.
“Can I put those on my head too?”
“No.”
I wasn’t Nobita.
Since she could drive, I took Ran to Zone 0. I wanted to investigate the [Error Space] on Starview Mountain.
“Do you see that?”
Ran pulled a crystal orb from her pocket—emblazoned with the System⧉ symbol.
“...Didn’t you say you weren’t sent by System⧉?”
“No, I said I didn’t know. But among the auxiliary devices I possess, this symbol was included.”
In any case, once she placed the orb on her head, a glowing sigil (⧉) appeared in her eyes.
“If you mean the black sphere—I can see it now. What would you like to know, Professor?”
“Tell me everything about that [Error Space].”
“...The list has only one entry for now.”
“Only one?”
“...It seems there are ultimately two or more errors.”
She didn’t know when the list would update.
“But there’s at least one now. What is it?”
I had been wondering this all along.
A 50-meter [Error Space] had produced Jinksythe. What would emerge from a 1,000-meter one?
What kind of bug existed there?
“......”
Ran hesitated briefly—then spoke.
“...Something that, within the order of the world, should have died...is being forcibly kept alive inside that space.”